As a strange, faint fragrance began to spread, Yuan Zongqing's energy felt like a wheel stuck in a quagmire. No matter how furiously it spun, it was completely useless!
"What's going on?" Yuan Zongqing was horrified.
He found that all his strength had been drained in an instant. He could only watch helplessly as Lin Tang threw a wild flurry of punches, which rained down on his face.
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP—
He grunted as he fell backward, only to be rcilessly stomped on by Lin Tang.
The force of Lin Tang's blows was no different from that of an ordinary person. There was still no trace of any martial arts expertise. They didn't even break through Yuan Zongqing's defenses. So, while he took a beating, he wasn't injured.
But… it still hurt! More importantly, it was utterly humiliating!
"What's happening?" Hua Fengchen was dumbfounded.
Wasn't it said that everyone at the Apex Martial Arts Hall, from the owner to the instructors, possessed true martial skill? They had an excellent reputation in the industry and a well-known na. So why was Yuan Zongqing being so thoroughly beaten by Lin Tang?
"Lin Tang, so you were never crippled!" Hua Fengchen hurriedly retreated, terrified of getting hurt.
His bodyguard, however, had a sharp eye. He imdiately clarified, "It seems Master Yuan... also lacks any martial arts skill."
"I've been deceived?" Hua Fengchen's face flushed red with sha and anger. He had completely run out of patience. "Get him!" he ordered his bodyguards.
"Yes, sir!"
The bodyguards charged forward together, all drawing their weapons. But after inhaling the strange fragrance, they fared even worse than Yuan Zongqing. Before Lin Tang's fists even reached them, they collapsed to the ground on their own, completely unable to retaliate.
Lee Encai laughed mockingly, "What kind of trash is this? They went down so easily!"
Even Dong Mingfeng and Shen Xin began to have doubts. Could this guy be a con artist? After all, they had no way to verify Hua Fengchen's identity with the Hua Family in the capital. Logically, bodyguards hired with the Hua Family's resources couldn't possibly be this pathetic.
Hua Fengchen wasn't a fool and quickly realized what was happening. Staring at Lin Tang with a mixture of hatred and fear, he demanded, "What did you do to them?"
"What could I possibly do? They were trying to destroy evidence and gang up on . I was simply acting in self-defense," Lin Tang stated with perfect justification. He even deliberately leaned closer. "Why don't you try hitting , too? Then I can act in self-defense against you."
The threat was enough to make Hua Fengchen stumble back, almost falling on his rear.
Seeing him so terrified of Lin Tang, Lee Encai's contempt for him grew. Hua Fengchen then caught the strange look Shen Youling was giving him, and his sha and anger intensified, knowing he had made a complete fool of himself again. His loss of composure was looked down upon by everyone else as well.
After all, the poison Lin Tang had used was only effective against those with martial arts training. Ordinary people felt nothing. They didn't realize that Yuan Zongqing and the bodyguards had been poisoned. They just assud the n were all for show, utterly useless in a real fight.
"This ti, I misjudged Shang Yuenong, which led to this misunderstanding. Lin Tang, don't let find anything to use against you next ti!" Hua Fengchen knew that staying any longer would only bring more disgrace, so he made a hasty escape.
"Huh? What about…" Dong Mingfeng and Shen Xin were at a loss. Is he really from the Hua Family or not? Are we still getting the shares in Qingcang Pharmaceutical?
If Shang Yuenong had previously pulled the teeth of an adult, perhaps so bleeding-hearts would have whined and tried to stop this retaliation. But she had attacked a little girl, an act with no lower limit. Because of this, no one in the room said another word. So were even eager to step in and handle it themselves.
"Don't crowd around here! Disperse, disperse!" The security guards ca to drive the onlookers away, considerately closing the room's door to prevent Shang Yuenong's pig-like squeals from disturbing the other patients.
After a great deal of ti, Wu Xinyu finally finished pulling out all of her teeth.
Lin Tang picked up the exhausted girl. "Do you still hate her?"
Wu Xinyu shook her head. "Not anymore!"
"Then be a good kid from now on. Forget all about this."
"Okay! Fairy Brother, let's go. I don't want to see her anymore."
"Alright."
Lin Tang called over to Lee Encai and the others, and they all left together.
Shen Youling glanced back at the now unconscious Shang Yuenong without a hint of sympathy, but she did breathe a sigh of relief. She had been worried Lin Tang would kill Shang Yuenong and was prepared to plead for rcy. No matter what, the cri did not deserve death.
After they left, only Yao Qian and Zhong Liping remained in the ward. Zhong Liping had been rendered mute ever since the evidence ca to light, only now finding her voice again. She began sobbing and cursing Lin Tang.
Yao Qian said in annoyance, "Mom, stop crying. Yuenong was truly in the wrong here…"
"Get lost, you spineless coward! Your wife is in this miserable state, and you have the nerve to shirk responsibility?" Zhong Liping began scratching and pinching him.
What? How is this my fault? I didn't do a damn thing!
At that mont, the door was burst open again.
The two of them, jumpy as startled birds, thought Lin Tang had returned. But when they looked, it was the hospital director.
"Director, you're just in ti! Yuenong has been wronged so terribly! You must get justice for her!" Zhong Liping cried.
The director's face was grim. He said coldly, "I am here to formally inform you that Shang Yuenong's character is deplorable and she possesses no dical ethics whatsoever. Effective imdiately, she is fired. We also do not welco her to remain here as a patient. You have thirty minutes to complete the discharge procedures. If you exceed that ti, don't bla for having you forcibly removed."
"What? How can you be so heartless? I'm going to sue you!" Zhong Liping shrieked in anger.
"Sue us if you want," the director stated, completely unfazed.
"Director, I'm begging you, please give my wife another chance, I…" Yao Qian pleaded, but it was no use. The hospital was determined to draw a clear line. Keeping such a person on staff would severely damage their reputation.
And so, half an hour later, the dawdling Yao Qian and his family were indeed forcibly evicted.
By then, Shang Yuenong had regained consciousness. Already in unbearable pain, she completely broke down upon learning she had been fired, wailing hysterically on the street. With all her teeth gone, her face had sagged like a deflated balloon, and her crying scrunched it into a mass of wrinkles. Her mouth was a hollow cavern, with blood still oozing out.
Yao Qian, standing beside her, looked at her horrifying state. He started to offer a word of comfort, but he quickly turned his head away.
"Ugh!" He was so thoroughly disgusted that he retched.
「Elsewhere.」
"Lin Tang, how is my grandfather's condition?"
"It's nothing serious. He just needs to rest and recuperate."
"I'm so relieved," Shen Youling said, holding Shen Qiushi's emaciated hand, her expression complex.
Having been heartlessly thrown out of the house by her grandfather, it was impossible for her not to be hurt. Yet, when he heard the news of her "death," he had beco so ill. It proved that he still cared for her deeply.
"Youling, is that you? You've co back to see ? Oh, my dear granddaughter…" Shen Qiushi sobbed as he slowly regained consciousness. With tears streaming down his old face, he thought he was seeing a ghost.
He then looked toward Lin Tang. "My dear grandson-in-law, I can rest easy knowing you two can be together even after death."
Lin Tang was speechless.
So was Shen Youling.
A mont later, reality dawned on Shen Qiushi, and he burst out in overjoyed laughter. "Hahaha, it's just your old grandpa getting muddle-headed! It's so wonderful that you're not dead! Co ho, both of you. From now on, no matter what we face, we'll face it together! Youling, I'll never drive you away again. I was wrong!"
"Absolutely not!" Dong Mingfeng declared, resolutely opposed. She called Lin Tang a jinx who constantly attracted trouble from powerful people. She would rather see the Shen Family fall apart than be dragged down to her death.
"You—" Shen Qiushi grew angry, pointing at her and furiously berating her. But no matter how he tried to assert his authority as an elder, Dong Mingfeng was adamant. Even when Shen Youling explained that Lin Tang's martial arts had been crippled and he wouldn't cause trouble anymore, she still wouldn't budge.
"Fine, fine! If you want to split the family, then split! I'll live with Youling and Lin Tang! The four of you can get as far away from here as possible!"
"We'll be glad to! It's not like we care!" Dong Mingfeng stood her ground. With the new dicine selling like hotcakes, she was rolling in cash. She could afford any mansion she wanted.
Lin Tang suddenly spoke up. "I heard you've been selling my dicinal formula. I never gave you permission, so you can't sell it anymore. I need that formula back…"
"Bullshit! This is a new dicine we developed ourselves! What does it have to do with you? What proof do you have that it's yours? Did you file a patent?" Dong Mingfeng had never been afraid of Lin Tang, even when he had his martial arts. She certainly wasn't scared of him now that he was just a good-for-nothing. Stop her from getting rich? In his wildest dreams!
Shen Xin backed up his wife, stating that if Lin Tang had evidence, he was free to sue them. Then, they simply turned and walked away, abandoning Shen Qiushi.
Shen Qiushi looked ashad, saying he had failed in raising his children.
"It really doesn't matter. If they want to keep selling the dicine, let them," Lin Tang said with a slight, magnanimous smile.
The so-called "new dicine" was rely a slavish copy of the dicine packets prescribed by Ge Shijian. It wasn't a perfect replica. A tiny deviation can lead to a massive error. Lin Tang thought for a mont and concluded that their new dicine must have hidden problems. As ti went on, there would surely co a day when it would all blow up in their faces. When that happened, wouldn't they be forced to pay until they were bankrupt?
Shen Qiushi simply thought Lin Tang was being generous about the formula being leaked. Overco with guilt, he also felt a sense of relief. As an old man, what he hoped for most was family harmony. The endless infighting over money was not sothing he wanted to see.
「At the hospital entrance.」
Shen Jiayue and Lu Zizheng, looking sullen, were about to head inside.
"Dad, Mom? Didn't you say you were off to a business eting? Why are you back here taking care of Grandfather?"
"Don't ntion it. Your grandfather doesn't want our care. He's yelling about splitting up the family. From today on, we'll go our separate ways. He has Youling and that good-for-nothing Lin Tang to look after him."
"Oh? Really?" Shen Jiayue's eyes lit up. She had long grown tired of caring for a crotchety old man who was always sick. "Wait a second," she said, suddenly confused. "Weren't Youling and Lin Tang dead?"
Lu Zizheng was also taken aback. When they learned the two were still alive, they exchanged puzzled glances. They had been surrounded by such powerful enemies. How could they possibly have escaped with their lives?
However, the news that Lin Tang's martial arts were truly gone was fantastic. They would never have to be afraid of him again.
Without his martial arts, what was he? Nothing.
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